Home / Crime and Justice / 30-Year Cold Case Solved: DNA Identifies Park Visitor
30-Year Cold Case Solved: DNA Identifies Park Visitor
11 Jun
Summary
- Human remains found in 2000 were identified after 26 years.
- Forensic genealogy helped identify the man last seen in 1998.
- The unidentified man was from Hawaii and went missing in Washington.
Human remains found 26 years ago in Washington's Olympic National Park have been identified through advanced forensic testing. The remains, discovered in July 2000 in a tent near the Sol Duc River, belonged to Joseph Louis Serrao Jr., who was last seen in 1998.
Serrao, originally from Hawaii, had been in Washington before his disappearance. Investigators at the time could not determine his identity due to a lack of usable evidence. The remains were estimated to be from a man between 30 and 50 years old, who had died at least six months and up to two years prior.
A breakthrough occurred in 2024 when a DNA sample was submitted to a forensic laboratory. Using forensic genealogy, which traces potential living relatives through DNA, investigators were able to identify possible family members by 2025. This led to DNA comparisons and confirmation that the remains belonged to Serrao.
Officials expressed pride in the persistence and collaboration that led to the identification, hoping it provides closure for Serrao's family. The case remained unresolved for nearly three decades until the technological advancements made the identification possible.
